USA TODAY 10Best
Get revved up for the 10 best motorsports races in the country
Best Motorsports Race (2024)
From Formula One and NASCAR to IndyCar and IMSA sports car racing, motorsports races offer high octane thrills in spades, as drivers push themselves and their vehicles to the limits. High speeds, tight corners, and cars just inches apart trying to overtake the competition combine to create a nail-biting experience where high-speed crashes aren’t uncommon.
An expert panel selected their top picks for the best motorsports races in the U.S., then readers voted for their favorites to decide the winners. Here are the 10 best motorsports races in the country.
- Daytona 500 - Daytona Beach, Florida
- Grant Park 165 - Chicago, Illinois
- Indianapolis 500 - Indianapolis, Indiana
- Chili Bowl Nationals Powered by NOS Energy Drink - Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Holley LS Fest West - Las Vegas, Nevada
- NHRA U.S. Nationals - Indianapolis, Indiana
- SCCA National Championship Runoffs - Plymouth, Wisconsin
- King of the Hammers - Johnson Valley, California
- NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals - Knoxville, Iowa
- Sick Week - Orlando, Florida
Photo courtesy of Daytona International Speedway
No. 10:
Most sanctioning bodies save their biggest race for the end of the season or the midway point. NASCAR, however, hosts "The Great American Race" to kick off the NASCAR season in style in mid-February. The Daytona 500 is preceded by preliminary events all collected under the banner of Speedweeks, so there is always something worth watching.
Photo courtesy of AvigatorPhotographer / iStock / Getty Images Plus
No. 9:
First run in 2023, the Grant Park 165 pits NASCAR drivers against one another over 75 laps as they speed down Columbus Drive, Michigan Avenue, and DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The 2.2-mile route travels along Lake Michigan and around Grant Park, providing scenic views for spectators.
Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway
No. 8:
Billed as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500 has been a cornerstone of American sports for over 100 years and is one of the biggest races in the world, bringing in around 300,000 spectators on race day. Speeds topping over 220 miles per hour make it a thrilling and suspenseful event.
Photo courtesy of Ron Olds
No. 7:
Bringing together drivers from a variety of motorsports, the Chili Bowl Nationals is a sight to behold. Held annually in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this week-long dirt track event draws hundreds of racers and thousands of spectators, showcasing a blend of emerging talents and seasoned professionals vying for the coveted Golden Driller trophy.
Photo courtesy of Holley LS Fest
No. 6:
Taking place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Holley LS Fest West brings together drivers of LS and current generation LT vehicles to compete in autocross, drifting, drag racing, off-road, donuts, burnouts, the car show, and the dyno challenge. Stay through the entire event to see who is crowned Grand Champion for performing best in multiple segments.
No. 5:
Nicknamed "The Big Go," the NHRA U.S. Nationals brings together the largest competitor field at the longest and most historic of all drag races on the NHRA schedule. Not only do drivers compete to take home the win, but they also seek to qualify for the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, raising the stakes for this race. Bring your ear protection to this thundering event that sees drivers exceed speeds of 330 miles per hour.
No. 4:
The Sports Car Club of America brings the top SCCA racers to Road America for the National Championship Runoffs, where they compete head-to-head to see who walks away with bragging rights. This event is considered to be the height of amateur road racing in the United States.
Photo courtesy of MousePotato / iStock / Getty Images Plus
No. 3:
King of the Hammers is touted as "the toughest week of one-day, off-road races in the world." Spectators gather in Johnson Valley, California, to watch a series of five races over several days. Ultra4 vehicles can reach over 100 miles per hour through the desert sections of the course but slow down considerably for the boulders and mountain foothills areas.
Photo courtesy of Trent Gower
No. 2:
Nicknamed the "granddaddy of them all," the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals is considered a premier title in sprint car racing (with an incredibly high-paying purse), held on the second Saturday in August at the Knoxville Raceway in Iowa.
No. 1:
At Sick Week, approximately 350 drivers of the speediest street cars take to the quarter-mile track to determine the top drag-and-drive driver. During the event, racers from around the globe visit different racetracks to see who can make the fastest set of passes down the drag strip.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Dan Pund
Daniel Pund is editor-in-chief of Road & Track,... Read More
Daniel Pund is editor-in-chief of Road & Track, the longest-running and most trusted automotive magazine brand in America. He oversees the brand’s print and digital editorial operations, and commands a team of writers and correspondents that spans the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia in order to deliver the best journalism about the automotive and racing worlds. In addition to interviewing industry leaders and profiling motorsports legends, Pund leads the production of the annual “Performance Car of the Year” feature, Road & Track’s signature comparison test. In 2023, it named the first-ever “Performance EV of the Year,” selecting winners that represent the best of the performance electric-vehicle market. Prior to his appointment to editor-in-chief in January 2024, Pund had been executive editor of Road & Tracksince 2020. He has been an automotive editor, car reviewer, and feature writer for 30 years, with tenures at Hearst Autos brands Autoweek and Car and Driver, where he was deputy editor for a decade, Edmund’s, and others. Pund has also contributed to Esquire, GQ, and other general-interest lifestyle media outlets. Pund is based in Detroit, Michigan. He can be found on Instagram @danielpund.
Dan Pund
Daniel Pund is editor-in-chief of Road & Track, the longest-running and most trusted automotive magazine brand in America. He oversees the brand’s print and digital editorial operations, and commands a team of writers and correspondents that spans the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia in order to deliver the best journalism about the automotive and racing worlds. In addition to interviewing industry leaders and profiling motorsports legends, Pund leads the production of the annual “Performance Car of the Year” feature, Road & Track’s signature comparison test. In 2023, it named the first-ever “Performance EV of the Year,” selecting winners that represent the best of the performance electric-vehicle market. Prior to his appointment to editor-in-chief in January 2024, Pund had been executive editor of Road & Tracksince 2020. He has been an automotive editor, car reviewer, and feature writer for 30 years, with tenures at Hearst Autos brands Autoweek and Car and Driver, where he was deputy editor for a decade, Edmund’s, and others. Pund has also contributed to Esquire, GQ, and other general-interest lifestyle media outlets. Pund is based in Detroit, Michigan. He can be found on Instagram @danielpund.
Elana Scherr
Elana Scherr’s expertise is in classic cars,... Read More
Elana Scherr’s expertise is in classic cars, motorsports, car culture, technology, and new car-reviews. Before becoming senior editor in 2021, she had been a contributing editor to Car and Driver since 2019. Scherr, who is based in Los Angeles, has been covering the automotive world for numerous car magazines including Hot Rod Magazine and Roadkill Magazine for more than a decade but her expertise also includes travel writing, food reviews, and science and tech reporting. Earlier in her career, she held positions at Graves Motorsports and TaylorMade Racing, where she worked directly with racing teams and fabricators. She can be found on Instagram @challengeher.
Elana Scherr
Elana Scherr’s expertise is in classic cars, motorsports, car culture, technology, and new car-reviews. Before becoming senior editor in 2021, she had been a contributing editor to Car and Driver since 2019. Scherr, who is based in Los Angeles, has been covering the automotive world for numerous car magazines including Hot Rod Magazine and Roadkill Magazine for more than a decade but her expertise also includes travel writing, food reviews, and science and tech reporting. Earlier in her career, she held positions at Graves Motorsports and TaylorMade Racing, where she worked directly with racing teams and fabricators. She can be found on Instagram @challengeher.
Joel Kokoska
Like so many in the automotive industry, my... Read More
Like so many in the automotive industry, my passion for all things automotive started at an early age with memories of Hot Wheels and car shows! As I grew up in a car culture family my automotive path started like many with an afterschool job at a local hot rod shop. Working in a small business, I saw many sides to the business which helped shape my understanding of the highs and lows a business owner goes through to meet the demands of the business. I have been involved in the hot rod industry for over 33 years now and continue to help ensure the continuation of the industry and expand its footprint to the next generation of hot rodders by currently serving on the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) committee for SEMA. Stay connected with me through my channels on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Joel Kokoska
Like so many in the automotive industry, my passion for all things automotive started at an early age with memories of Hot Wheels and car shows! As I grew up in a car culture family my automotive path started like many with an afterschool job at a local hot rod shop. Working in a small business, I saw many sides to the business which helped shape my understanding of the highs and lows a business owner goes through to meet the demands of the business. I have been involved in the hot rod industry for over 33 years now and continue to help ensure the continuation of the industry and expand its footprint to the next generation of hot rodders by currently serving on the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) committee for SEMA. Stay connected with me through my channels on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Michelle R. Martinelli
Michelle R. Martinelli
Michelle Martinelli is a writer at USA TODAY's FTW, covering NASCAR and other sports. She once ran a 10k just because the finish line was home plate at Comerica Park. Follow Michelle on Twitter.
Patricia Clement
Patricia Clement, founder of Rivah Sistah is a... Read More
Patricia Clement, founder of Rivah Sistah is a retired Police Officer and now Social Media Influencer who considers herself as a recruiter for River activities. Patricia, a native New Yorker, explored the outdoors a few years ago and fell in love. Patricia~Rivah Sistah, enjoys boating, fishing, crabbing and camping. She has thousands of followers and currently creates content for various organizations. Some of her past and current partnerships include: Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Carolina Skiff, West Marine, Toyota and many more. Follow her here, and be sure to watch, like and share her amazing videos.
Patricia Clement
Patricia Clement, founder of Rivah Sistah is a retired Police Officer and now Social Media Influencer who considers herself as a recruiter for River activities. Patricia, a native New Yorker, explored the outdoors a few years ago and fell in love. Patricia~Rivah Sistah, enjoys boating, fishing, crabbing and camping. She has thousands of followers and currently creates content for various organizations. Some of her past and current partnerships include: Recreational Fishing and Boating Foundation, Carolina Skiff, West Marine, Toyota and many more. Follow her here, and be sure to watch, like and share her amazing videos.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
